The Untold Story of Judas Iscariot
by Kuro Kali
Summary: My version of the famous story of Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve Chosen, who turned Jesus in to the Sanhedrin. Not exactly a defense of his actions, but a version that doesn't take a one-sided view of Judas.
1. The House of Simon

The Untold Story of Judas Iscariot  
  
Judas sat gratefully in the cool provided by the home of Simon. The road to Bethany was long and the days were growing hot. Although Judas was still rather young, only 26, he had grown over-weary from the journey.  
  
And the sight of so many of his people trampled and oppressed by the hated Romans hadn't helped matters. So many were hungry, starving... living in miserable hovels, or with no home at all... He seethed with rage against the invaders. Sometimes he felt that Simon was right: the Romans needed to be thrown out, killed if necessary. But he knew that the Master spoke the truth when he said that violence against the Romans would only breed more violence. The Roman bastards would murder five, ten, twenty, a hundred Jews for any one Roman soldiers killed. Judas had seen it done far too often.  
  
Judas looked over at the Master. Jesus was sitting at the table, and had just asked the blessing of the Lord over the meal. Judas himself was not hungry, he was too hot and tired to be hungry, but he was glad to see that Jesus was sitting and relaxing. He worked far too hard for any man. Judas leaned against the wall of Simon's home, closing his eyes and relaxing himself. Soon it would be the Passover, and the Apostles would return with Jesus to Jerusalem. A slight smile curved his usually serious face. And Jerusalem meant Rebekah.  
  
Rebekah, daughter of Anaias, was Judas' betrothed. He had been engaged to her for three years, but he had been called as one of the Twelve Chosen before he and Rebekah could be wed. He wanted to marry her still, but he didn't know when he would be able. Traveling with Jesus, being constantly on the road, was not the best life to bring a wife into. But at least the travels brought them often to Jerusalem, and he was able to steal a few hours from the day to spend with his beloved.  
  
His happy daydreaming was interrupted by the grumbling and arguing of his fellow Apostles. Annoyed, Judas opened his eyes to see what the confusion was all about. He saw the cause immediately. Kneeling at Jesus' feet was a woman. The woman was anointing Jesus with a wonderfully aromatic perfume so rich that Judas knew it had to be expensive. And a perfume that expensive could only be afforded in a town such as Bethany by a prostitute.   
  
Judas heard Simon next to him, growling that the woman was polluting the room with her presence, as prostitutes often catered to the Roman soldiers, a sin Simon considered worse than the whoredom they committed with their clients. Judas didn't care where the woman had gotten the money for the perfume, be her benefactor Jew, Gentile, or Roman. All that he could see were the faces of his fellow Jews, starving on the streets while this woman wasted untold money on useless perfume.   
  
Judas leapt to his feet and crossed the room. When he reached the table, he snatched the bottle of oil from the woman and inspected it. He growled softly. "How can you spend money on such useless garbage???" he demanded of her furiously. She stared at him, speechless and confused. "This single bottle of perfume could have been sold for three-hundred silver pieces or more!!! Have you any idea how many people could have eaten if you had thought more of your fellow man than of selfish comfort???" he demanded.  
  
Jesus stood. "Do not berate her, Judas! She has anointed me for my burial, which is more than any of the Twelve have done. There will always be poor around, and you will have countless opportunities to help them. Think of the now, and act while I am still among you, for I will not be here for much longer," Jesus told Judas sternly.   
  
These words caused an uproar among the Apostles, and they all crowded around Jesus, begging him to tell them what he had meant by his statement. Judas, however, was too disheartened by Jesus' reprimand to pay any heed to the words that had followed. He had been trying to help the Jews who were poor and starving, and Jesus had called him selfish. His only thought had been for the well-being of his people, and he had been told he didn't do enough.  
  
Jerusalem and Rebekah could not come soon enough. Rebekah was the only person he could tell everything to. She would understand his sadness and pain and would find a way to soothe him. 


	2. Jerusalem

The Untold Story of Judas Iscariot  
  
Chapter Two: Jerusalem  
  
Jesus and his Apostles had entered Jerusalem the day before the beginning of the Passover and, much to the chagrin of the Sanhedrin, had arrived to cheers and much celebration. It seemd all of Jerusalem was rejoicing. All but the Sanhedrin... and Judas.  
  
Judas was still upset by Jesus' reprimand in Bethany while they were in the house of Simon. It wasn't fair. Jesus had condemned Judas for his concern for the welfare of the Jews, while blessing a whore for wasting money on expensive perfume.   
  
The joyful yelling of the crowd grated on Judas' nerves. The other Apostles had all tried to lift his spirits on the journey from Bethany, but nothing had worked. They'd all given up on him. Judas was deeply moody at times, but they knew from experience that he would snap out of it soon.   
  
Judas stood aside from the celebration, leaning against a building, watching the excitement through lowered eyelids. The noise was getting over-loud, and Judas knew the priests would consider it unseemly on the eve of the Passover. There would be trouble with the Sanhedrin, no doubt. He shook his head. When he'd first begun following Jesus, there had been no such problems. They traveled, and Jesus taught and performed miracles, and no one was bothered. It had been much more peaceful...  
  
~*~Three years earlier...~*~  
  
  
  
Judas had come for Kariyoth to the house of Anaias to visit his fianceé, Rebekah. Rebekah was the youngest of nine children, and the only daughter. So naturally, Anaias and his sons were all very protective of her. Judas was lucky indeed, for Anaias liked him, and had allowed him to woo Rebekah.  
  
They had been engaged for a few weeks now, and Judas was hoping they could be married in a few more. So he'd come today to arrange a date for the wedding. Of course, he and Rebekah had ended up doing more kissing in the garden than wedding date planning... And had nearly gotten caught by her youngest brother Josiah. Luckily they'd heard him coming in time.  
  
"Rebekah, Judas... there's a rabbi from Galilee who is going to speak in town today. We're going to listen to him. Do you want to come with us?" Josiah asked. Judas and Rebekah looked at one another. Rebekah shrugged.  
  
"Why not?" Judas said finally. "Who is this rabbi, Josiah?"   
  
Josiah shrugged. "I'd never heard of him. A Nazarene... Jesus, son of Joseph..."  
  
***  
  
Judas had never been so moved by a sermon in his life. This Jesus had an amazing way with words. He used stories to illustrate his message. And he spoke of the freedom of the Jews. That was what most drew Judas' attention. All his life, Judas had lived under Roman rule. His people were subject to slavers worse than the Egyptians, in his opinion. The Egyptians, at least, had not come *into* the land of the Israelites and taken them hostage.  
  
Rebekah seemed to have fallen under the spell of the rabbi's words as well. She was sitting next to Judas, her hand in his, her head lying on his shoulder, listening raptly to the Nazarene.  
  
After the sermon, Judas was one of many, many listeners who went up to the man to speak to him. To Judas' great surprise, Jesus spoke to each and every one who approached him, listening to stories, answering questions, and unburdening people of their sorrows. When it came Judas' turn to speak to the great man, he found that it was difficult to form words.   
  
The entire week Jesus was in Jerusalem, Judas went back to listen to him every day. And when it came time for Jesus to leave, Judas felt drawn to the man. He hated to leave Rebekah, but it seemed the will of God that he travel with Jesus.  
  
Heh... this was mostly background on how Judas came to follow Jesus... real addition to the story will be up as soon as possible. 


End file.
